molntire



Aug. 28,, 1928. 1,681,946

C. V. M INTIRE RETORT FURNACE F l y 15, 1924 2 sheets sheet 1 67 ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1928. 1,681,946 C. V. M INTIRE RETORT FURNACE Fil y 15, 1924 Z'Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Omnm 1 M /A/ M:

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES V. MOINTIRE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATION COAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF WILIVIINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

RETORT FURNACE.

Application filed July 15, 1924. Serial No. 726,217.

My present invention consists in improvements in the retort of my prior Patent No. 1,457,083 devised with the general object of improving its mechanical construction and facilitating the maintenance of tight oints between the interior of the retort andits heating flues.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which 1 have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

()f the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line l-4= of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the retort.

The retort A shown in the drawings is hori zontally disposed, though its axis need not be exactly horizontal, and has a curved bottom wall formed of metal sections shaped to provide circumferentially extending internal and external grooves 79 and b respectively. The outer edges of the external grooves Z) are closed by a cylindrical wall C formed of fire bricks, on which the metal sections rest and the external grooves I) serve as heating fines receiving gas and air for combustion at their ends and discharging products of combustion intoan outlet channel C longitudinally disposed beneath the retort. The grooves b and b are all curved about the same axis so that the internal grooves b may be swept by. the blades M of an agitator M oscillated through an arc of approximately 270 by the gear M driven by the rack M connected to the piston of a hydraulic motor M about an axis coincident with the axes of curvature of the grooves b and 7). In so far as above described, the retort is similar in construction and in its intended mode of operation to the retort of my prior Patent No. 1,457,083, although the agitating mechanism employed is of the character illustrated in my prior Patent No. 1,479,827, granted January 8, 1924. I

In accordance with the present invention, the metallic bottom wall of the retort proper is formed by sections B and BA, which are made of cast metal, but preferably are of one or another of the highly refractory metallic alloys now coming into use for high temperature work. The sections B and BA are channel shaped in cross section and the wall of each groove 7) is formed by a central or bottom section BA and two end sections B. Each section BA is provided at its ends with tongue or flange portions which extend telescopically into the adjacent ends of the corresponding end sections B, the flange or tongue portions being shaped to provide joints B which may be sealed by luting them with a refractory cement inserted through the open upper ends of the sections B. The outer edges B of the sections B and BA are received in the circumferentially extending grooves C formed in the concave face of the fire brick housing body C. Each groove C, except the two end grooves, receives the edges B at the adjacent sides of two adjacent fines Z), and advantageously, the edge portion B of the sections BA and of the body portions of the sections BA are radial so that the sections B and BA enclosing adjacent flues I), fit snugly together and provide radially elongated joints, whereby the tendency to gas leakage through the joints is minimized. Advantageously, as shown in Fig. 3, the sides of the sections B and BA are curved so that the bottoms of the grooves b are rounded, as this facilitates the operation of the agitating means (not shown) by which these grooves are swept.

At its upper end each section B is conoff at its upper edges to provide flat surfaces C over which the end members E, and the outer ends of the sections B project. The grooves C are extended along the seats C and each groove C is bifurcated a. its upper end, as seen in Fig. 2, each bifurcation communicating with a transverse groove G which also communicates with the bifurcation at the opposite side of the same flue b. The bottom portion of each member E is partially closed by an integral portion E provided at i inner'edgc with a down-turned flange E which. is received in the corresponding groove C and merges into the lower portions of the side edges E. Each member E overlaps the outer end of the corresponding section B and the parts are relatively shaped and arranged to provide a joint EB, which can be sealed as are the joints B by a suitable lutiug material inserted through the open outer end of the member E' when the aperture stop-plate or plug H, normally closing the member E, is removed.

As shown, the refractory housing body portion C is surrounded by ametal casingD, the upper edged D of which are inwardly inclined to fit against the correspondingly inclined portions of the brick work C, so that they extend transversely to the seat portions C These upper edge portions D" of the casing D are provided with apertures for the box-like body portions of the members E and are formed with flanges at the margins of said apertures to provide a space D for luting material, by which the joints between the members E and the portions D are sealed.

The formation of the metal walls for the fines 7) out of sections B and BA, as described, permit of thermal expansion and contraction of the sections without creating disruptive strains, but the thermal elongation of the sections which occurs on an increase in temperature, tends to produce open joints between the'sections on a subsequent reduction in temperature unless suitable provisions are made for applying pressure to the outer ends of the sections BAftending to hold the sections snugly together. This pressure is applied, in accordance with the present invention, by means of tension springs G acting between brackets D carried by the housing casing D, and tension bolts F pivotally connected at Eto the outer ends of the members E. The top wall of the retort is formed by a curved metal body DA, which rests on the extreme upper edges of the armor casing D. Advantagcously, as shown, the adjacent edges of the IDGHIlJGlS D and DA are provided with outwardly extending flanges, shaped to provide a space D for the reception of a suitable lnting material for sealing the joint. The adjacent flanges of the members D and DA may be bolted or otherwise clamped together, though the weight of the top member DA may be relied upon to hold the latter in place.

The outer ends of the boxlike portions of the members E, are advantageously closed by flangedcast metal parts H fitting snugly in the appropriate members E. The joints between the parts H and the members E may conveyor I. The end wallO is'forrned With an outlet 0 for gases of distillation connected by gas piping O to the outlet main 0. A second outlet P in the end wall'O for the discharge of the semi-coke orother non-volatile residue of the material treated opens into a discharge spout P provided with doors P and]? which are gravity closed and permit the discharge of the semi-coke or other residue while preventing the outflow'of gas through the opening P.

My improved retort structure is characterized by its mechanical simplicity, effectiveness and its ability to withstand the destructive forces to which it is subjected in operation. It is further characterized by the character and effectiveness of theprovisions made for maintaining tight joints, and by the accessibility of the joints for re-luting when this is necessary or desirable.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material having a trough shaped upper surface with transverse grooves formed therein, a metallic lining for said surface formed of are shaped sections of inverted trough shape in transverse section, with the outer edges of the trough sides received in said grooves, and means for passing heating gases through the flue spaces formed within said sections above said surface.

2. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material, a metallic lining for the upper surface of said part comprising metallic sections of inverted trough shape in transverse section which co-operate with said surface to define heating flues, the top wallof each such flue being formed by a plurality of said sections connected end to end and each pair of sections so connected havin telesco ic )ortions cooperating to form a joint which can be luted with material inserted through the end of theflue.

3. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material having a trough shaped upper surface with transverse grooves formed therein and extending across said surface and each forked adjacent the side edges of said surface and grooves transverse to the first mentioned grooves each connecting the adjacent forks of an adjacent pair of the first mentioned grooves, a metallic lining for said surface comprising are shaped sections of inverted trough shape in transverse section co-operating with said surface to define portions of flues with the outer edges of the trough sides received in the first mentioned grooves and metallic parts forming the ends of said flues comprising portions extending in the bifurcated ends of the first mentioned grooves and into said transverse grooves.

4. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material havmg a concave upper surface, a metallic lining for said surface comprising are shaped sections of inverted trough shape in transverse section which co-operates with said surface to define curved heating flues, the top wall of each such flue being formed by a plurality of said sections connected end to end and each pair of sections so connected having telescopic portions (To-operating to form a joint which can be luted with material inserted through the end of the flue.

5. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material, a lining for said bottom part formed of metal parts each of inverted trough shape in transverse section and co-operating with said surface to define a portion of a heating flue and metallic conduit parts extending through the side walls of the retort and co-operating' with said metal parts and bottom part to form the end portions of said flues.

6. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refrectory material, a lining for said bottom part formed of metal parts each of inverted trough shape in transverse section and co-operating with said surface to define a portion of a heating flue, metallic conduit parts extending through the side walls of the retort and each formed with an inner end portion of inverted trough shape which overlaps one end of one of said first mentioned metal parts.

7 A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material, a lining for said bottom part formed of metal parts each of inverted trough shape in transverse section and eooperating with said sur face to define a portion of a heating flue, metallic conduit parts extending through the side walls of the retort and each formed with an inner end portion of inverted trough shape which overlaps one end of one of said first mentioned metal parts, and means external to the retort engaging said conduit parts and exerting a yielding force against said first mentioned metal parts tending to contract the length of the tines formed by said first mentioned metal parts and to press the latter against said bottom part.

8. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material, a lining for said bottom part formed of elongated metal parts each of inverted trough shape in transverse section and co-operating with'said surface to define a portion of a heating flue, metallic conduit parts extending through the side walls of the retort and each formed with an inner end portion of inverted trough shape which overlaps one end of one of said first mentioned metal parts, and removable closures for the passageways through said conduit parts.

9. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material, a lining for said bottom part formed of elongated metal parts each of inverted trough shape in transverse section and co-operating with said surface to define a portion of a heating flue, metallic conduit parts extending through the side walls of the retort and each formed with an inner end portion of inverted trough shape which overlaps one end of one of said first mentioned metal parts, and removable closures for the passageways through said conduit parts formed with peep holes.

10. A horizontally disposed retort comprising a bottom part of refractory material, a lining for said bottom part formed of elongated metal parts each of inverted trough shape in transverse section and co-operating with said surface to define a portion of a heating flue, metallic conduit parts extending through the side walls of the retort and each formed with an inner end portion of inverted trough shape which overlaps one end of one of said first mentioned metal parts, and removable closures for the passageways through said conduit parts, and means for passing gas and air for its combustion into said passageways.

Signed at Fairmont, in the county of Marion and State of West Virginia, this 8th day of July A. D. 1924:.

CHARLES V. MGINTIRE. 

